Student expresses discontent with Mills’ exclusivity

Posted By
Wendi Goad
On
October 20, 2005 @ 12:00 pm
In
Opinions |
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When I first came to Mills, I was excited about the experiences I was about to embark on at women’s college. I was so excited because Mills always seemed like such an inclusive space for all women, which is something I wasn’t used to. However, when I ended up at Mills and found myself among a silent majority of the population at Mills, I felt very alone. I felt lied to.

The other evening during a class break, one of my classmates expressed to me the same feelings of betrayal. She spoke of promises made by the admissions staff and the way that she was sold on the idea of diversity and respect on a liberal campus.

Many have already expressed their discontent with the support for any conservative views on campus, but I would even go as far to assert a certain lack of support for the silent majority (heterosexual women). The lack of events for straight women on campus also shows this discrepancy. Mills used to have a tradition of bringing men from Stanford and UC Berkeley to campus, but now no such event exists. Although this seems antiquated in this day and age, when a student or groups of students’ needs aren’t being met while others’ are, I feel that these discrepancies must be rectified.

I chose to go to a women’s college for my education, but when I asked questions about meeting men, I was told that it is a lot easier than it would seem. It’s not! I feel that a large population of Mills women is being left out in the cold when it comes to respecting their sexuality. I came to Mills to be included in something really special. I feel that because of my orientation and the orientation of many of my peers, I have been excluded from exploring my own sexuality in the safe space that Mills supposedly provides.